Clamp for glass



A ril 2, 1935. w, WEN 1,996,385

FOR GLASS I d March l5 1932 2 s F 1 F" ,2. 417 J 12 f1 7 7 if NNNNNN OR A ril 2, 1935. w. OWEN 1,996,385

CLAMP FOR GLAss Filed March 15, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR ATTO R NEYS Patented Apr. 2, 1935 UNITED STATE CLAMP FOR GLASS William Owen, Pittsburgh Pa., assignor toPittsburgh Plate Glass Company,a corporation of Y Pennsylvania Application March 15, 1932, Serial No. 598,982

2 Claims (01. 294 -86) My'invention relates to a. clamp for handling glass and it is particularly designed to function in transporting relatively heavy sheets of glass.

Manifestly diiiiculties are experienced in transporting heavy sheets of plate glass since it is necessary to utilize a clamp that will obviate probability of breakage. Plate glass having a thickness of one inch to one .and one-quarter inches is very heavy in sheets of moderate size and any device that isemployed to engage the glass for transporting it must apply a very firm hold. On account of the character of thematerial, great pressures may not be utilized to apply the engaging members because they may bend or deflect the glass to a sufiicient extent as to cause breakage.- Moreover, all possibility of the, glass slipping during the transporting period must be obviated. Accordingly it, is difficult to utilize a device that will not of itself have excessive weight and at the same time assure a sufficiently secure;

engagement as to obviate danger of slippage with its consequent disasters both'in breakage and the danger involved of injuring operators.

In the drawings, Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a clamp constructed in accordance with my invention; Fig. 2 is an endview thereof, partially in cross-section; Fig. 3 is a top plan View, indicating the method of constructing the clamp;v and Fig. 4 is a detail view of the construction of the engaging element.

A better understanding of my invention may be had by reference to the accompanying drawings in which a clamp l is shown that is formed of a plurality of spaced arms 2 and 3. The arms are constructedby utilizing four channel members 4 which are secured together in pairs by plates 5. The plates are held in spaced relationto form a rigid structure by tie-plates 6. A spindle 1 is disposed between the plates which functions both to assist in spacing the members and to afford means for lifting the clamp by engage ment with a hook of a crane or otherllifting device. A plurality of vacuum cups 8 are mounted adjacent, the free ends of the arms and are operated by means of hand wheels 9 to effect engagement or disengagement of the cups with a glass sheet l disposed therebetween. The assembly utilized for effecting suitable operation of the vacuum cups 8 is particularly shown in Figure 4. It will be observedthat a sleeve II is mounted in the end of the arm,'

of a flexible cup N that engages the glass. Ob-

viously when the vacuum'cup 8 is caused firmly to engage the glass, at least a partial vacuum is createdwhich must be broken when it is desired to release the sheet. In order to facilitate releasing the sheet, a rod I5 is disposed within the sleeve II with a passage I 6 that communicates with the interior of the vacuum cup at one end and is closed by a petcock I! at its other end. When it is desired to release the glass, therefore; it is only necessary to open the petcock to break the vacuum within the cup 8 and thereby facilitate its retraction'from the glass. I

The operation ofv the device will be apparent from 'the description of v its construction. In order to transport a sheet of. glass l0, it is only necessary to lower'the clamp overthe sheet and cause the vacuum cups 8 to engage the opposite faces thereof by operating the hand wheels 9.

utilized, a very secure engagement of the glass is obtainedand the clamp and glass maybe'lifted for transportation without danger of droppingthe sheet by reason of the clamp slipping. Although the clamp is very rugged in construction, its weight is relatively low compared with the size of glass sheets that maybe transported thereby. 1

Moreover, the device "affords advantages in i any clamp providing only a'rigidengagement.

Although'I have described a .specificformof my invention, it is obvious that "minor modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope thereof and I desire,

therefore, that-only "such limitations shall be imposed upon the appended claimsas maybe.

dictated by the prior art.

WhatIclaimis: I v

'1. A clamp for glass comprising a pair of 40 spaced arms in fixed positionrelative to each. other, a pair of hollow screws threaded through the arms, a. vacuumcup mounted for rotation.

- on the, inner end of each screw, a'connectionex tending through each screw and communicating a with the space on the front side; of the cup carried therebmand a relief valve at-the outer end of each of said connections. I 2..A clamp for glass comprising spaced arms' in fixed position relative to each other,a pair of hollow screws threaded through the arms, a vacuum'cup mounted for rotation on the inner end of each screw, 9. tube extending through each screw and the vacuum cupcarried a air off .p v

thereby and secured at its inner end tothe-cup as tum with, and a relief valve at the outer'end of each tube. L

WILLIAM OWEN.

. 15 By reason of the fact thatvacuum cups are y 

